My first choice for home defense - double barrel coach gun!

This is a discussion on My first choice for home defense - double barrel coach gun! within the Home (And Away From Home) Defense Discussion forums, part of the Related Topics category; My first choice for home defense is currently my 12 guage double barrel coach gun. it is super reliable and extremely intimidating.
I recently purchased ...

My first choice for home defense - double barrel coach gun!

My first choice for home defense is currently my 12 guage double barrel coach gun. it is super reliable and extremely intimidating.

I recently purchased a Rock Island M5 pump action and intended for that to be my primary home defense weapon however, when I took it out to the range for the first time I experienced 50% failure to fire. Sometimes it went "bang" other times "click" but no bang.

It's now at the gun smith.

If it comes back from the gun smith shooting with 100% reliability, it'll be number one again.

I hate it when a brand new weapon malfunctions right out of the box. Ugh.

Re: My first choice for home defense - double barrel coach gun!

"A heavily armed citizenry is not about overthrowing the government; it is about preventing the government from overthrowing liberty. A people stripped of their right of self defense is defenseless against their own government." -source

"The time is now near at hand which must determine whether Americans are to be freemen or slaves."
------------------------------------— George Washington 1776
Gun free zones
are safe havens-
FOR CRIMINALS

Personally, I like a coach gun.... shorter, easier to maneuver, if in doubt let both barrels go .... and have much more on hand than just it to follow up with. On a home invasion, it could easily stop the initial attack or attacker quickly .... no matter how many people are standing in front of it. I don't use slugs, I use # 2's. Too me , much better than a long barrel gun that can be much easier to grab, deflect, will make it harder to maneuver as well, etc.

I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts. --- Will Rogers --- Chief Justice John Roberts : "I don't see how you can read Heller and not take away from it the notion that the Second Amendment...was extremely important to the framers in their view of what liberty meant."

If a 2-shot shotgun is sufficient for home defense then a 2-shot derringer is sufficent for self defense. Sell all those semi-auto pistols and revolvers; they carry way too many cartridges and can't possibly be reliable due to their excessive mechanical complexity.

Another problem with the coach gun is that you have to manually cock the hammers. In a tight situation with an adrenaline dump taking place the last thing I want to do is perform an extra step requiring fine motor skills.

There are modern weapons way better suited for HD. But you are on the right track selecting a 12 ga shotgun - just need to update the platform

[T]he unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people. ---Tenche Coxe, The Pennsylvania Gazette, Feb. 20, 1788.

If a 2-shot shotgun is sufficient for home defense then a 2-shot derringer is sufficent for self defense. Sell all those semi-auto pistols and revolvers; they carry way too many cartridges and can't possibly be reliable due to their excessive mechanical complexity.

And just think how much safer society will be without all those hi-cap "clips."

I also use a two shot coach gun. Mostly as a home defense gun, and on occasion in my vehical as car gun. My double barrel's are all (2 of em) Stevens 311's. Not really coach guns because they have no external hammer. I've been trained in the use of this gun, and used one in my duities.

Sure there are other scatterguns with a higher capacity, but none is capable of shooting two OO Buck rounds at the same time. Double barrel's dont have feed or ejection issues, Double barrel's will digest any ammo you feed them, a double barrel is visually intimidating...Sure I have only two rounds on board... But them holes look so dang big.

I own several pump shotguns, but I choose the D/B with the 18" tubes because it's easier to acclimate with after waking up in the middle of the night, It's simple operation lends to the untrained using it effectively, It's size and configuration make for easy handling in a home or apartment, It's very easily disabled if someone took it from me, If I had to it's very easily concieled.

There is a saying that no one in a gun fight ever wished they had less ammo. I know thats true... But I have faith in my gun and my ability. I'm not a fan of blasting away with any gun. Two rounds from my D/B I believe will control one or six assailants. And if it becomes that rare protracted shootout.. I can put two more rounds, then two more... They reload real easy.. easily done in the dark.. under stress.

My Rossi Overland double barrel/double hammer is not my first choice. That said, I would not feel under gunned facing anyone in my house with that 12 gauge, because if I light off that sucker inside a house on one suspect, I cannot see any other suspects standing their ground.

My first choice would still be my AR with the collapsible stock hanging on the wall next to the bed. There is something to be said about less kick and the ability to send more rounds downrange if you DID have more than one person advancing.

Re: My first choice for home defense - double barrel coach gun!

Originally Posted by marcclarke

If a 2-shot shotgun is sufficient for home defense then a 2-shot derringer is sufficent for self defense. Sell all those semi-auto pistols and revolvers; they carry way too many cartridges and can't possibly be reliable due to their excessive mechanical complexity.

Except that a double barrel shotgun isn't limited to just 2 projectiles.

We used to say that it was equivalent to an 18 round burst from a 9mm subgun, but Tangle messed that up for us. So now it's like a burst from a 380 subgun. Not as manly as a 9mm, but it's effectiveness hasn't changed.

"A heavily armed citizenry is not about overthrowing the government; it is about preventing the government from overthrowing liberty. A people stripped of their right of self defense is defenseless against their own government." -source

My wife has the Stoeger Coach Gun, and by all means it would make a fine home defense gun. The overall length makes it extremly handy. And of course it does not have external hammers. Does have double triggers and extractors rather ejectors, but I can live with that.